Free Range or Not? What Does Everyone Prefer?

[Texokie1]

LOL, ya i know, i would freak if mine got out of their run. We've got every predator you can think of up here and they're not afraid to come onto the property when our dogs are in the house. My husband has a cowbell hanging around the horse's neck for noise, LOL!

SWEET IDEA! I have a radio on in the horse barn (that I think keeps some of the critters away), but maybe a bell on the horses' halters would assist with predator deterent...my dog helps a BUNCH...and I have a flock of "attack crows" that tend to run off alot of the BOP, but every little bit helps. I love to free-range my girls when I'm at the house...we have a stand of bamboo that they LOVE...I think they like to pretend they are back in the jungle...

But I will tell you, those gals are pretty alert/on the ball when it comes to predators for being hatchery chicks...

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I have been a bit worried lately by the number of Ospreys circling my house. I thought their diet consists of mostly fish... It still worries me a bit.

 

[Yukonchick]

Ya some people don't have a life so they have nothing better to do than just wait for something to whine and complain about.

 

[Yukonchick]

Yes I was surprised at their instinctive reactions. Mine were all out in their run one day and a raven flew over really high up and boy, every one of the chickens bolted for cover. Surprised the heck out of me, LOL!

 

[Our Roost]

Some really good perspective generated here. I am new to chickens this year and considered free ranging from the start if possible. I call our coop and run area the Taj Mahal of coops as it is more than what any chicken would need to feel freedom of the outdoors and indoors. I've done everything possible in the design of both to protect from preditors. They even have a completely fenced and roofed florida room to contain them when we arn't around. We lost 2 birds to a hawk and a bobcat before this was completed. I think one of the comments submitted was about our investment in the birds. A lot of time and feed money, plus all the additional incidentals that go along with those costs. I think my most important concern is how attached we have become with our flock. Never thought I would have a close attachment with them. Because of the area in which we live with predators and the like, we are challenged with free ranging our birds. So personally I think one has to evaluate their surroundings and circumstances when choosing to free range. A run can offer some of the free range qualities that are not offered in a caged and pent up area. Freedom to these birds is something they really appreciate. Just open the door to your coop in the morning and get out of the way!

 

[Melabella]

Don't be lulled into a false sense of security, I have had hawks land inside my fence and try to take an adult turkey, luckily, they were unsuccessful. Hawks, especially the juvenile ones in the fall, are pretty fearless. Also, when they come after a chicken, regardless of size, most of the time they dive bomb them to stun them, and they are dead before they can recover.
I lock mine into a coop overnight. I also have runs attached to their coops that they are let out into in the mornings and stay in until about 1pm. I find they lay their eggs more in the nesting boxes and less all around the farm this way. In the afternoons, they are let out of the runs and are able to free range until they put themselves back into their coops, after which we replenish food and water for the next day, collect eggs and lock them up to start again the next day. This works very well for me and I have had minimal losses to to predators.
Having said that, I lost 2 hens to hawks last year, my next door neighbor lost 8 of his 16 Guinea Hens last year to hawks, and my across the street neighbor lost almost their entire flock to coyotes last year. Which is a reminder that unless your run is covered, any predator can get in, coyotes have no difficulty at all scaling a 6' fence. As a footnote, I also lost 2 hens when they tried to squeeze behind things while free ranging and got stuck. We searched everywhere both times and couldn't find them. Eventually, one was found behind some plywood leaned against the barn wall and one was in the wood pile...found them much, much too late...

their size 22 bodies didn't fit into the size 2 space...
By the way, I have a 20 acre farm, and while free ranging, the chicken only use about 2-3 acres to wander about, although I think if they were out all day, they may wander farther.
Very interesting to read the different ways people raise their chickens! Love it!

hi prosnow,

May I ask what state you live in? Just curious as to the predetors. I live in upstate NY and it's similar here.

 

[Poupoulles]

Define free range? Our flock has a 2/3 acre fenced orchard. There are only 25 chickens. So its vast. But totally free range means poultry getting into the garden which means e-coli and I don't think my customers would jive with that.
At night we lock them up in their house snug as bugs. We have lost some to predation when our house was not tight enough. Most of the predators in our neck of the woods are nocturnal. For the neighbor dogs- always a nuisance, we have a 110lb rottweiler that handles security.

 

[michellekelly10]

My chickens are kept in a coop with a run. I would like to have them free range during the day but I live on a busy highway and am scared they will get run over. I am home during the day so i could watch them but I have no idea how to introduce them to free range and then get them back into the coop at night. any ideas????

I live on a 3 acre country home with plenty of Field for foraging. I also have 6 children, 2 dogs, and, 1 kitten!!!

I will post pictures of my 40 chickens and their coop and run soon!!

 

[Yukonchick]

I got a good deal on a bunch of strong used chain link fence and covered it with chicken wire. I also have a decoy of an owl sitting watching over my flock. Seems to work well except for this small bear I caught clawing at the fence. I set the dogs on him and ran him off the property. Dogs are excellent for taking care of intruders.

 

[Chicken Lover 1]

I kinda free range the chickens have a yard that is 1/8 of an acre but it is covered with netting